GTMO MWR Community Library Completes Renovations MC2(SW/AW) Justin Ailes Gazette Editor T he Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Community Library at Naval Station (NS) Guantanamo Bay, Cuba reopened for service during a ribbon-cutting ceremony, April 12. The facility closed for renovations Feb. 23. Library services continued to be provided with limited hours and services at the installations Teen Center. Patrons are going to see a real difference in the interior appearance of the library, said Amy Roumell, MWR Supervisory Librarian. The new paint and flooring make it look like a completely different space. We also have new public computers with updated software. The new lights and outlets on the exterior will make it more comfortable for patrons to sit outside and use their computers. The library serves more than 135,000 community members each year with 25,000 items available for checkout, including fiction and nonfiction books for adults, young adults, juveniles, and children, as well as audio-books and DVDs, according to Roumell. We offer the only public computers on base, and have a fax and scanner available for base residents, said Roumell. We will continue to provide materials for checkout, as well as computer and wi-fi access. We have story time Friday mornings at 10 a.m. for children up to age 4 and their caregivers. We will also offer a variety of learning programs each month. The renovation project was the first upgrade to the facility in nearly seven years.

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YEOMAN 3RD CLASS BRANDEN JACKSON Job/Department: DTS PO/ Supply/ ADMIN Age: 23 Home State: Georgia Hero: My Father Quote: Success is failure turned inside out. Favorite Sports Team: Georgia Bulldogs Favorite Hobby: Working out Favorite Book: The Shadow King Favorite Movie: Wedding Crashers Favorite GTMO Restaurant: Gold Hill Galley Favorite Musician: Johnny Cash Favorite TV Show: That 70s Show Greatest Passion: Staying healthy Currently Working On: Starting school, getting a degree How The Navy Has Improved His Life: The Navy has turned me into a man and taught me responsibility and acceptance. Sailor Of The Week Because: incredibly ambitious and hard working Sailor who performs at a level well above his peers. Jackson is an astute administrator who is well on his way to being an excellent Yeoman. Nursing Groups Promise TBI, PTSD Training Leo Shane Stars and Stripes A coalition of nursing schools and medical organizations will train more than 3 million nurses in coming years on how to recognize and respond to post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and other unseen war wounds in veterans, White House officials announced Tuesday. The news comes three months after officials from the nations leading medical colleges announced theyd work similar lessons on war wounds into their curricula. But Amy Garcia, chief nursing officer of the American Nurses Association, said the new initiative should have a more immediate impact on veterans care, because officials can introduce the lessons into professional development courses, medical journals and other nursing resources in a matter of weeks, not years. She also noted that many of the nurses involved are already working with veterans in their communities, and can immediately put the new knowledge into practice. Our goal is to raise awareness of these issues, teach nurses to recognize the signs and symptoms, and help reduce the stigma of seeking care, she said. Officials from the White Houses Joining Forces campaign said that roughly one in six veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq suffer from PTSD or TBI. While medical staff within the Veterans Affairs health system are familiar with the injuries, campaign staffers noted that the majority of veterans still receive care outside that system, where private physicians often have less experience and knowledge with the issues. As part of the effort, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association has already developed online continuing education courses on PTSD focusing on pain management, sleep disturbances and issues specific to women veterans. Other groups are launching similar efforts. This week marks the one-year anniversary of the Joining Forces campaign, launched to highlight the sacrifices and struggles facing returning troops and military families. R A D I O T H O N 2 0 1 2 R A D I O T H O N 2 0 1 2

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C haplains Corner I t is my belief that weve all been given certain gifts, talents and Chaplain Larry Jones USNH Guantanamo Bay Deputy Chaplain You Are Unique skills for the purpose of fulfilling the passions within our hearts. The question is, will everyone see the unique gifts or talents you possess? Does it even matter if anyone sees that youve been blessed with something special? Sadly, many people can make judgments based merely on appearances, socioeconomic status, intellectual ability, or the right connection. There was a king in history named David. He was destined to be King of Israel; however, when the time of selection came he was not seen as the most likely candidate to rule the people of Israel. After Samuel considered seven of Jesses sons, it was the eighth son, David the shepherd boy, who made the selection. The truth in his story was that man looked on the outer appearance, but God sees the heart. Remember; dont let people and their judgments detour you from fulfilling the passion you have in your heart. I believe there will be a time when you will have an encounter with destiny and your gifts will place you in the position to fulfill your destiny. Stay focused and stay true to who you are. Navy Takes Tougher Stance On Sexual Assaults Melanie Woodrow WAVY NBC Norfolk T op Navy ocials have announced a tougher stance on sexual assault among Sailors, outlining a commitment to their Zero Tolerance policy. Crimes against Sailors hurts all of us. It hurts the unit. It hurts all of our ability to do our mission, said Adm. John Harvey, Jr., commander, U.S. Fleet Command. As a part of sexual assault awareness month, the Navy says it will implement new methods to aid sexual assault victims either in reporting the crime or seeking assistance from sta members on the legal and counseling process. Last year, the Navy says that 611 restricted and unrestricted reports were led by Sailors. Restricted reports are not seen by the chain of command. Weve been looking at this now for a couple years and saying were not eectively changing behaviors. Were not eectively impacting our culture, said Adm. Harvey. Adm. Harvey said he does not support a military legal brief in a prior sexual assault lawsuit that stated rape was incidental to military service. Attorney Susan Burke represented 28 victims in the case that was dismissed in December of 2011. What they argue in their legal brief is that rape is an occupational hazard, said Burke. In terms of reasonable expectation that a Sailor could be, I reject that, said Adm. Harvey. It is a crime and we dont reasonably expect anybody to commit crimes against our Sailors. DoD Plans Sexual Assault Crime Database Rick Maze Navy Times T he Defense Department could take a leap forward in its sexual assault prevention programs this summer with the planned deployment of an all-service database to track the names of victims and alleged offenders, the nature of the assaults, and the outcomes, if any, of legal proceedings. This will require the services to take a more uniform approach to issues such as handling evidence and conflicting testimony, and also will provide a better look at the scope of the sexual assault problem across all of the services. A Government Accountability Office report, dated March 30 but released April 10, updates lawmakers on 25 recommendations made by the congressional watchdog group since 2005 for improvements in sexual assault prevention programs. One bit of progress: The Defense Department has prepared a defensewide policy for criminal investigative organizations so that all will use the same basic processes and rules for collecting and using evidence. The policy also calls for the services to share resources in both investigating and prosecuting sexual crimes. Congress mandated a defense-wide database of sexual assaults in 2008, but a joint-service system wont be fully operational until August, according to the report. The services generally define sexual assault in the same way, but until now, they have had their own approaches for undertaking investigations, retaining evidence and keeping records. Having everyone record crimes in the same way lets the services compare which may be more successful with sexual assault prevention programs. The report was provided to Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., who has led a bipartisan group of lawmakers pushing the Defense Department to do more to address sexual assault in the ranks. Slaughter has sponsored legislation to require expanded legal training for judge advocates involved in the investigation and prosecution of sexual assaults, and to make conversations that a sexual assault victim had with a victims advocate or health care professional confidential, meaning they could not be used in legal proceedings. DID YA KNOW? RECENTLY AT THE COURTHOUSE... At a Special Court-Martial convened on board NS Mayport, a Petty Ocer third Class pled guilty to three specications of assault. e Military Judge sentenced the Accused to connement for ten months, reduction in rate to E-1, and a Bad Conduct Discharge. At a contested General Court-Martial convened on board NAS Jacksonville, a Petty Ocer First Class was acquitted of three specications of assault.

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MC2(SW/AW) Justin Ailes Gazette Editor P ersonnel attached to Naval Station (NS) Guantanamo Bay, Cuba participated in the physical tness portion of the Spring Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA), April 9-13. e PFA is conducted Navy-wide, twice a year, to evaluate U.S. Navy Sailors physical readiness. Physical tness is important to service members because it keeps them healthy and enables them to do their job, said Chief Gunners Mate Derrick Abson, NS Guantanamo Bay Command Fitness Leader. We are incorporating new exercises to keep everyone engaged and informed. With the help of the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Fitness sta, we are adding tness classes, Pilates and other physical training. is will better improve the overall tness Spring Physical Fitness Assessment Held At GTMO FITNESS NAVY TEST PHYSICAL and knowledge of Sailors and Marines when it comes to their physical tness and what the Navy expects of each member. A health warrior is a productive warrior. Approximately 98 installation personnel attached to NS Guantanamo Bay participated in the Spring PFA. e majority of Sailors met the standard; potential to exceed that standard exists, and this next cycle I will expect even more from all personnel Im able to lead, said U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Tyler Truesdale, NS Guantanamo Bay Assistant Command Fitness Leader. Conditioning and physical readiness, like everything in the military, is a responsibility and a mission; except this mission never truly ends. e PFA is comprised of sit-ups, push-ups and a cardio portion, which includes a stationary bike, swim, elliptical, or regular 1.5 mile run.

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Seabees Replace Bridge, Providing Convenience To NEX Shoppers Terence Peck Naval Station Guantanamo Bay residents crossing Sherman Avenue to shop at the Navy Exchange will be able to use a new bridge that opened today. Eight Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 23 worked on the project from Mar. 9 until April 13, after tearing down the old bridge because the culverts underneath were rusting. it gives people access to the NEX without having to walk through the dirt or around the drainage ditch, said Navy Lt. Karen L. Guerra, NMCG-23 Operations officer. It is sloped, allowing people to roll their strollers across it. Navy Exchange shopping carts are prohibited from being taken by shoppers out of the parking lot area. The 85 personnel reserve element based out of Fort Belvoir, Va., arrived at the Naval Station Feb. 9. Since arriving, we have conducted numerous projects around the Naval Station and Joint Task Force areas, including road maintenance, quality of life improvements and electrical conduit installation, Guerra said. The units overall mission is to maintain military readiness, GTMO USNH Reports Increase In Staph Skin Infections Stacey Byington U .S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay (USNH GTMO) reports an increase in patients who are being treated for staph infections on the skin, which, if not treated, can cause sores or boils. While most of these are mild infections on the skin, they can be hard to treat because some are resistant to commonly used antibiotics. What seems to be a small pimple can turn into a quickly enlarging hot, red, tender area of infection, said CDR Bruce Deschere, Director of Medical/ Health Services at USNH GTMO. Thats when someone with this type of infection urgently needs to see a provider in the Primary Care Clinic or ER. These skin infections can be spread by physical contact. Community-associated skin infections occur among people who share close quarters or experience more skin-to-skin contact. Examples include team athletes and military personnel. People can become infected from someone who might have an infection, but not realize it, or by touching something that another infected person has touched. People can also get infected through dirt or touching dirty objects. Staph germs are present everywhere in any climate. However, the active lifestyle and warm climate of GTMO means short sleeves and more opportunities for dirty skin injuries, said Deschere. This can lead to staph infections. Clean any injury or break in the skin with soap and water as quickly as possible. The best way to prevent the spread of skin infections is to follow good hygiene practices. These include: washing remains the best defense against germs. Scrub hands briskly for at least 15 seconds, then dry them with a disposable towel. Use another towel to turn off the faucet. Carry a small bottle of handsanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol for times when soap and water are unavailable. Avoid sharing towels, razors, clothing and athletic equipment. Make sure athletic equipment is wiped down after each use, and a good rule of thumb is to wipe equipment down before use as well. workout, game or practice. Use soap and water, and dont share towels. bed linens in a washing machine set to the hottest water setting (add bleach, if possible), and dry in a hot dryer. Wash gym and athletic clothes after each wearing. and abrasions clean and covered with sterile, dry bandages until they heal. Over-the-counter antiseptic sprays and ointments only treat the surface of the skin and are no substitute for a gentle soap and water wash, added Deschere. Anyone suspecting that they might have a skin infection should contact the hospitals Primary Care Clinic, at ext. 72110, to make a clinic appointment. Only a medical professional can determine if an abrasion or cut can lead to something more serious. while performing construction tasks for the 1st Naval Construction Division located at Little Creek, Va. The units overall mission is to maintain military readiness and Naval Construction Force engineering skills, while sending task-tailored detachments to South American countries within the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command area of operations to execute general construction engineering, Guerra said. These projects will strengthen regional partnerships, increase partner nation and U.S. military related infrastructure, and increase partner nation capacity and capability to respond to catastrophic events.

GTMO CPOs Association Host Annual Triathlon Fundraiser MC2(SW/AW) Justin Ailes Gazette Editor T he Chief Petty Officers (CPOs) Association at Naval Station (NS) Guantanamo Bay, Cuba held their annual triathlon at the installations Windmill Beach, April 7. The event challenged participants to complete a 500-meter ocean swim, a 10mile bike ride and a 3.1 mike (5k) run. This was our way of getting the community together to celebrate the CPOs birthday and promote camaraderie, said Richard Vargas, Postal Officer for Naval Supply Systems Command, Fleet Logistics Center, Jacksonville, Guantanamo Bay Site and retired CPO. It allowed all CPOs (active, retired and reserves) to come together as one team to celebrate 119 years while giving something back to our Sailors and our community. The triathlon was held as part of fundraising efforts to support and present a graduating senior from NS Guantanamo Bays W.T. Sampson high school with a $1000 scholarship. The HS students are explained the rules for the Scholarship and are reviewed by a committee that will select the best applicant. The scholarship will be presented prior to graduation, said Vargas. I was glad to be able to coordinate this event on behalf of the CPOs community here in Guantanamo Bay. There were many Chiefs behind the scenes that worked tirelessly ensuring a safe and enjoyable event. Navy Capt. Bradley Thom, the fiftysix year-old Joint Task Force (JTF) Guantanamo Bay command Chaplain, completed the triathlon with a time of one hour, seven minutes, 47 seconds, finishing first amongst the competitors. These events give me a reason to train and stay in shape, said Thom. It was a very enjoyable experience for me. This triathlon celebrated the heritage of CPOs, and built collegiality among those involved. It encouraged and inspired people to participate in an ambitious and team building fitness challenge.